An image recording device has been known that is configured to perform an image recording by ejecting ink droplets onto a recording medium based on input signals. Such an image recording device is commonly referred to as an inkjet printer. The inkjet printer implements an image recording by selectively ejecting ink droplets from nozzles of a recording head.
In the recording head, air bubbles may be generated in ink passages extending to the nozzles or the ink passages may be clogged with foreign matters. These may cause an ejection failure of ink droplets from the nozzles. In order to prevent or recover such a problem, there has been known a technique for eliminating air bubbles or foreign matters from the nozzles of the recording head, which is commonly referred to as a purge operation. The purge operation is implemented by a maintenance unit. The maintenance unit comprises a cap configured to cover the nozzles of the recording head and a pump configured to generate a suction pressure in the cap covering the nozzles of the recording head. A motor is used as a drive source of the cap and the pump. In the inkjet printer, in addition to the purge operation, a flushing operation for eliminating air bubbles and impure ink from the recording head and a wiping operation for wiping off ink adhering to the nozzles are performed. These operations are collectively referred to as a cleaning operation.
An image recording device has been known that comprises a power transmission switching device configured to switch power transmission from the motor between drive portions. The power transmission switching device is configured to transmit power to the drive portions alternately in accordance with a movement of a carriage.
As recording media onto which an image is to be recorded in the image recording device including the inkjet printer, recording media having high rigidity, e.g., compact discs (CDs) and digital versatile discs (DVDs), may be used in addition to recording sheets. Generally, when an image is recoded on a surface of a recording medium having high rigidity, e.g., a CD or a DVD, the recording medium is placed on a special tray. The tray is inserted into the image recording device via an insertion slit provided therethrough and is conveyed inside of the image recording device.